*Ger Hickey. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
BROADFORD’s Ger Hickey has been ratified as the head coach of the Offaly U20 hurling side.
Hickey is a new addition to Leo O’Connor’s management team with the Faithful County for what will be his fourth season at the helm.
Now living in Crecora in Co Limerick, Ger is a member of Crecora-Manister where he serves as the club’s coaching officer.
2023 was a successful year for Hickey. He was part of Brian O’Connell’s management with the Clare minor hurlers who won All-Ireland and Munster titles. He was also coach of the Dromin-Athlacca side crowned premier intermediate hurling champions in Limerick, losing the Munster club semi-final to the Joe Cahill managed Corofin.
On the field, Ger made his debut for Broadford aged sixteen in the Clare Cup against Corofin. He is the holder of three Clare IHC titles with the East Clare club, winning the second tier championship in 1997, 2003 and 2008, ironically beating Sixmilebridge in two of the deciders.
Ger for the past two seasons has been coach of the Broadford senior hurlers. Sixmilebridge’s Paddy Meehan will return for a third year in charge of the club who have already commenced their preparations for the coming year.
Claughaun native O’Connor guided Offaly to win the All-Ireland U20 championship in 2024 beating Tipperary 2-20 2-14, twelve months after losing the final to Cork. He managed the Offaly minor hurlers to reach the 2022 All-Ireland final where they lost to Tipperary.
He led Limerick’s U21 hurlers to win the Munster title in 2011 edging out Cork after extra time. O’Connor has also managed the Mayo senior hurlers and has expressed his desire to manage one of the top inter-county teams at senior level. Leo earlier this year left his roles in the sales department of The Clare Champion for a post with Stream Sport, he had been Business Development Manager with The Champion for ten years.
